1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a connector, a connector assembly and a method of connecting a connector that has a connection detecting function.
2. Description of the Related Art
U.S. Pat. No. 6,247,957 shows a connector with a detector to detect whether male and female housings are connected properly. This connector has a resiliently deflectable lock arm in the female housing for locking the housings in their connected states. A detector is insertable into an inclination permitting space that permits inclination of the lock arm. The detector normally is before the inclination permitting space and is pushed into the inclination permitting space after the housings are connected.
The lock arm is inclined during connection, but returns to its initial position after the housings are connected for locking the housings together. Therefore, the detector can be pushed into the inclination permitting space. On the other hand, the detector contacts a lock arm that is still in the inclination permitting space, if the housings are connected only partly based on whether the detector can be pushed in. However, a pushing stroke of a detector of a small connector is small. Thus, it is difficult to judge whether the detector still is at a retracted position or has been pushed into the inclination permitting space.
The present invention was developed in view of the above problem and an object thereof is to perform a connection detection with high reliability.
The invention relates to a connector comprising a housing that is connectable with a mating housing. A resiliently displaceable lock arm is provided at the housing to lock the housings in their properly connected state. A detector is provided to detect whether the housings are connected properly. The detector is movable along a pushing direction between a retracted position where resilient displacement of the lock arm is permitted and an advanced position where resilient displacement of the lock arm is prevented. The detector is rotatable from an initial mount position toward the retracted position and is engageable with an engaging portion of the mating housing to be rotated from the mount position at an intermediate stage of connection of the two housings and to bring the detector to the retracted position when the housings are connected properly.
The housing may have restricting means for preventing the detector from being pushed in the moving direction until reaching the retracted position.
The lock arm is displaced resiliently when the housings are connected with the detector at the mount position. Thus, the engaging portion engages the detector and rotates the detector toward the retracted position. The detector could be pushed at the intermediate stage of the connection. However, the restricting means prevents the detector from being moved and partial connection of the housings is detected. On the other hand, the detector is brought to the retracted position when the housings are connected properly. Locking is effected by the return of the lock arm, and the detector can move to the advanced position. Thus, proper connection of the housings can be detected. Simultaneously, an inadvertent displacement of the lock arm is prevented, to effect double locking.
Proper connection can be detected in two ways, namely, by rotation of the detector from the mount position to the retracted position, or by moving the detector from the retracted position to the advanced position. Further, the construction can be simpler since a single detector makes the two detections.
The housing preferably can fit into a receptacle in the mating housing and the opening edge of the receptacle serves as the engageable portion.
The receptacle of the mating housing rotates the detector from the mount position to the retracted position. Thus, the mating housing is simple as compared to a case where the engaging portion is separate. Further, the rotation of the detector does not change the shape of the mating housing at all.
The detector preferably comprises a restricting portion that is located inside a deformation space for the lock arm when the detector is in the advanced position so as to prevent the resilient displacement of the lock arm.
Rotation preventing means may be provided for preventing rotation of the detector when it is moved between the retracted and advanced positions.
Locks may be provided to lock the detector in the advanced position.
The invention also relates to a connector assembly comprising the above-described connector and a mating connector connectable therewith.
The invention also relates to a method for connecting a connector with a mating connector. The method comprises connecting a housing of the connector with a mating housing of the mating connector, and locking the housing and the mating housing substantially in their properly connected state by a lock arm provided at the housing. The method continues by detecting whether the housings are connected properly by means of a detector movable along a moving direction between a retracted position where resilient displacement of the lock arm is permitted and an advanced position where resilient displacement of the lock arm is prevented. The detector engages an engaging portion of the mating housing and is rotated from the mount position at an intermediate stage of connection of the two housings and is brought to the retracted position when the housings are connected properly.
A restricting means may prevent the detector from being pushed in the moving direction until the detector reaches the retracted position.
The method may comprise fitting the housing into a receptacle in the mating housing so that the edge of the receptacle is the engageable portion.
Rotation of the detector preferably is prevented by rotation preventing means when it is moved between the retracted and advanced positions. The method may comprise locking the detector in the advanced position.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent upon reading of the following detailed description of preferred embodiments and accompanying drawings. It should be understood that even though embodiments are separately described, single features thereof may be combined to additional embodiments.